Animal-trap.



R. A. GREEN.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, \9I3.

1 9 1 %3 ,69& Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fig.2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTO-LVTHO.. WASHINGTON D, t:v

R. A. GREEN.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22. 19:3.

IJMMW. Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Attorney THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHoTO-LITHQ.WASHINGTON. D.

rrn s ROBERT A. GREEN, 0]? QUAPAW, OKLAHOMA.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed January 22, 1913. Serial No. 743,675.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. GREEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Quapaw, in the county of Ottawa and State of Oklahoma, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of animal traps.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a trap simple inconstruction, yet dependable and reliable in operation, the animal beingentrapped in such a manner as to render his escape impossible.

Another object of the invention is to provide an animal trap wherein theanimal when caught or entrapped is in no way injured, thereby producinga trap capable of advantageous use in connection with the hunting orcapture of wild fur bearing animals.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter wherein any number of animals may be entrapped and caught atone and the same time, according to the number of compartments providedin connection with the trap.

With the above and various other objects in view the invention consistsessentially in the provision of an underground receptacle or tank, uponthe top of which is disposed a plurality of trap compartments, eachbeing provided with a specially devised trap door leading into the tank,and a bait carrying trigger whereby an animal on attempting to dislodgethe bait from the trigger will cause the door to automatically op--crate and the animal to fall within the tank wherein he is held untilpurposely removed.

Certain other features of construction together with the combination andarrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter fully describedand specifically pointed out in the-appended claim must be reasonablyconsidered in determining the advantages and novel features of thisinvention.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the sev eral views, and in which Figure 1is a top plan View of the trap. Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the trap, the tank being shown insection. Fig. 4 is a section on line H of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a detailperspective View of the trigger.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein is illustratedthe preferred form of my invention the numeral 1 designates a suitabletank, open at the top, and preferably composed of tin or other sheetmetal material incapable. of being gnawed by the teeth or claws of ananimal, the size of the tank depending upon the number of trapcompartments employed in connection with my invention.

A trap frame 2 having a runway or base plate 3 secured thereto throughthe medium of a plurality of flanges 4 formed integral with the frame,is detachably mounted upon the top of the tank 1, where it is held inplace by means of a plurality of depending angled plates 5 secured tothe under face of the runway 3 and depending within the tank in such amanner as to prevent lateral movement of the frame, yet permit itsentire removal should occasion demand by simply raising the same untilthe plates 5 have cleared the edges of the said tank.

Any number of partition walls 6 may be disposed within the trap frame 1according to the number of compartments desired, each compartment beingin communication with the exterior of the trap by reason of the openingsor passages 7 provided in the frame sides.

Trap doors 8, one for each compartment are pivotally mounted within theframe through the medium of a plurality of parallel rods 9 extendingthrough offset portions 10 on the door, and provided with flanges 11 toprevent lateral movement of either the rods or the door. The door iseccentrically mounted, the greater portion thereof extending toward theopening 7 in the frame sides and underlapping the runway 3 to normallyhold the same below its level, as the smaller portion thereof isweighted as at 12 upon its under side which more than counterbalancesthe greater portion of the door and holds the same in proper position.

Triggers are employed for the purpose of supporting and preventingpivotal movement of the doors 8, one trigger for each compartment ordoor, and each comprising a U-shaped wire bracket 13 secured to theframe sides upon the interior thereof, upon which is loosely mounted aspecially formed one piece wire trigger arm 14, the latter sup- Q I I1,143,698

porting aroller 15 which normally engages the smaller portion of thedoor 8, this construction holding the door immovable until actuation ofthe trigger has taken place. A bait securing member 16 is attached toeach arm 14 in such a manner as to render accidental. removal of thebait impossible.

The animal upon entering the trap through one of the openings orpassages 7 stands upon the trap door 8, the trigger preventing pivotalmovement of the latter. In attempting to remove the bait from thetrigger, the latter is rolled or swung forward as indicated by thedotted lines in Fig. 2 until the weight of the animal causes the forwardor greater portion of the door to drop, in which event the animal beingunable to retain his footing is cast or dropped into the tank orreceptacle where escape is impossible and death ultimately certain asthe tank is partially filled with water to effect a drowning of theanimal entrapped. A stop lug 17 projects from one side of eachcompartment to limit the movement of the door during its operation, thusit will be seen that the weight 12 after the animal has fallen from thetrap door will cause the same again to resume its normal position readyto entrap another animal.

The top of the frame 2 is covered with Wire mesh 18, provided withopenings 19 over each trigger to permit the fastening of the baitthereupon the meshbeing provided to admit light into the interior of thetrap and to allow the odor arising from the bait to freely escape. I

It will be seen from the above taken in connection with theaccompanyingdrawings that the trap doors alternate, that is, theentrance of one compartment is in communication with the exterior of thetrap upon one side thereofwhile that of the next or adjacent compartmentis in communication with the exterior upon the opposite side of thetrap, this construction allowing an entrance into the trap from eitherside there- 7 of; thatthe animal is in no way injured during theoperation of the trap thus permitting its use in the capture of wild furbearing animals; and that the novel and peculiar construction of thetrigger arm renders the trap inoperative unless the said arm has beenpulled forward as previously described.

Attention is also called to the fact that a roller provided upon thelower extremity of the trigger arm when once started will cause thelatter to continue in the forward direction thus permitting completeoperation of the trap; that the tank may be left empty to facilitate thecapture of live wild animals; and that the angle plates secured upon theunder face of the runway permit vertical movement of the frame at alltimes yet preventing lateral movement thereof at any time.

It is thought from the foregoing that the advantages and novel featuresof my device will be fully appreciated.

I desire it to be understood that I may make slight changes in theconstruction and in the arrangement and combination of the severalparts, provided such changes fall within the scope of the subjoinedclaim.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

In an animal trap, a pivoted trap door, a bait support, a housing withinwhich the said'bait support is arranged, a bracket from which the saidbait support is suspended, said bait support being constructed of asingle strand of Wire bent to form bearings at its respective terminals,the said wire being bent equi-distant its ends to form a coil throughwhich the said supporting bracket extends, a roller carried by the saidsupport, said roller being journaled between the respective bearings andengageable directly with the trap door, the roller being movablelongitudinally relatively to the door upon an attempted dislodgment ofthe bait, and means attaching the bait to the said support directlyabove the roller, the weight of the roller and the bait serving toreturn the door to its normal position after the trap has been sprung,as and for the purpose set'forth.

ROBERT A. GREEN.

lVitnesses:

W. I. J. BRIGHAM, A. W. GREGORY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G."

